Vacuum leaf pickup pulverizer



D. H. LUCAS VACUUM LEAF PIQKUP PULVERIZER Feb. 17,1948.

Filed April 6, 1945 IN"!!! l|||l1 Hlllll m/e/zfor O f @M AL PatentedFeb. 17, 1948 VACUUM-LEAF PICKUP PULVERIZER David H. Lucas, Knoxville,Tenn. 7 Application April 6, 1945, Serial No. 586,910 3 Claims. (01.55-118 This invention relates to pulverizing devices,

and more particularly to a device for and pulverizing leaves.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved meansfor picking up and crushing leaves.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device ofsimple construction for removing leaves from streets, parks and groundswithout the use of hand labor.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description and claims, and from .the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a device in accordance with thisinvention with portions broken away to show the internal structure.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device of Figure1.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the body of the device, whichcomprises a housing mounted on side wheels 2, 2, and a rear dolly wheel3. Mounted on body I is a small gasoline motor 4, whichis connected by asuitable driving mechanism, not shown, to wheels 2, 2 to propel thedevice under its own power. The wheels are preferably provided withpneumatic tires.

At the forward portion of body I an interior receiving chamber 5 isprovided having a downwardly facing inlet opening of substantial size.Transversely journaled in chamber 5 is a shaft 6 carrying a cylinder 1,said cylinder having rigidly mounted thereon a crusher sleeve 8. Sleeve8 carries steel bristles 9 on its peripheral surface extendingsubstantially over the entire area thereof.

The wall at one side of receiving chamber 5 adjacent to the peripheralbristles of the crusher sleeve 8 is provided with sharp serrations l9providing an abracling surface of coextensive length with sleeve 8 forcrushing leaves carried thereto by the steel bristles. The leaves aredrawn into chamber 5 by a suction fan l mounted in the rearward portionof body I and communicating with chamber by a passage 1 I and aplurality of slots l2 connecting passage H to chamber 5. The suctionproduced by fan Iii is effective to draw leaves into chamber 5 againstthe peripheral steel bristles on sleeve 8.

Provided above the crushing cylinder is a discharge space I3communicating by a discharge spout [4 with an appropriate receptacle forcrushed leaves such as a bag. A blower fan I5 is provided in the upperportion of, body I, said blower fan having its discharge outlet directedso picking up as to blow the crushed leaves off the steel bristles afterabrasion against serrations l9 and into discharge space l3 for exhaustthrough spout I4.

Crusher shaft 6, suction fan l0 and blower fan are driven by gasolinemotor 4 by appropriate chain gearing. As shown in Figure 2, thedirection of rotation of shaft 6 is such as to carry convert said leavesinto pulverized material which may be commercially useful per se. It isalso apparent that tedious manual effort is reduced toa minimum by theuse of the device.

Although separate suction and blower fans are disclosed herein, saidfans may be combined into a single unit, if so desired, with the intakeportion providing the suction effect and the exhaust portion providingthe blower efiect.

While a specific embodiment of a leaf disposal device has been disclosedin the foregoing description, it will be understood that variousmodifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations beplaced on the invention other than as defined by the scope of theappended claims,

What is claimed is: I

l. A leaf disposal device comprising a body, an interior receivingchamber in the forward portion of said body, said chamber being providedwith a downwardly facing inlet opening extending through its bottom andhaving an outlet opening in its outer wall adjacent the upper portionthereof, the exterior surface of the inner wall of said chamber beingprovided with an abrading means, a cylinder having abrading elementsabout its peripheral surface arranged within said chamber intermediatesaid inlet and outlet openings and mounted for rotation about ahorizontal axis, the abrading elements of said cylinder coacting withsaid abrading means to thereby constitute a crushing means, suctionmeans in association with said receiving chamber for causing leaves tobe drawn upwardly through the inlet opening in said receiving chamberand delivering same to said cylinder, means for driving said cylinder ina direction'such as to abrade the leaves between said crushing means,and means for expelling the crushed leaves from the receiving chamber.

-2. A leaf disposal device comprising a body, an interior receivingchamber in the forward portion 2,4so,on

of said body, said chamber being provided with a downwardly facing inletopening extending through its bottom and having an outlet opening in itsouter wall adjacent the upper portion thereof. the exterior face or theinner wall, 01 said chamber being provided with an abrading means, acylinder having abrading elements about its peripheral surface arrangedwithin said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings andmounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, the abrading elements ofsaid cylinder coacting with said abrading means to thereby constitute acrushing means, suction means in association with said receiving chamberfor causing leaves to be drawn upwardly through the inlet opening insaid receiving chamber and delivering same to said cylinder, means fordriving said cylinder in a direction such as to abrade the leavesbetween said crushing means, and means embodying a blower in associationwith said receiving chamber for expelling the crushed leaves therefrom.

3. A leaf disposal device comprising a body, an interior receivingchamber in the forward portion of said body, said chamber being.provided with a downwardly facing inlet opening extending through itsbottom and having an outlet opening in its outer wall adjacent the upperportion thereof, the exterior face of the inner wall of said chamberbeing provided, intermediate its opposite ends with a plurality ofserrations, a cylinder having bristle elements about its peripheralsurface tion about a horizontal axis, said bristle elements coactingwith said serrations to thereby constitute a crushing means. a secondchamber in said body positioned to the rear of said receiving chamberand in communication with the latter, suction means within said secondchamber for causing leaves to be drawn upwardly through the inletopening in said receiving chamber and delivering same to said cylinder,means for driving said cylinder in a direction such as to abrade theleaves between said crushing means, a third chamber in said bodypositioned above and contlguous to said receiving chamber and incommunication with the upper portion of the latter, and blower meanswithin said third-named chamber for expelling the crushed leaves outthrough the outlet opening oi said receiving chamber.

DAVID B. LUCAS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Barnes Jan. 18, 1938Number

